Wrenn House Opens Doors to Musicians with New API 1608

May 29, 2012

In early 2012, Wrenn House Studios in Magnolia, Texas rounded out its collection of API gear with a 16-channel 1608 console. From the beginning, the studio was a self-described "API House," with racks of API processors, 7600 channel strips, an 8200 summing mixer, the 7800 master module and two API 2500 stereo compressors. "Clay and I have been working with music our whole lives," explained John Morton, Wrenn House's chief engineer and partner with the studio owner Clayton Wrenn. "Years ago, I had the opportunity to hear an API preamp in an equipment demonstration, and I was struck by how different the API sounded compared to everything else. It had a sonic quality that's hard to describe - a richness and fullness. I knew it was what I was after."

A clear need for a professional analog console encouraged Wrenn House to invest in the 1608, and news of the studio's high-end API gear spread. Local acts and other area production facilities began asking if they could make their recordings at Wrenn House. "There was clearly some pent-up demand for an API rig in Houston," Morton said. "Folks go to Austin when they want the API sound. As far as I know, we are the only API 1608 shop south of Austin at this time. I anticipate a lot of interest from local music and video producers. API has never let us down."